Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-17

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Many people work long hours, leaving very little time for leisure activities.

Does this situation have more advantages or more disadvantages?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

 

Student answer (Band 6.5)

It is often seen that people work extra shifts, which results in little time for the activities they love. Although, working long hours offer several benefits, its potential disadvantages should not be overlooked.
This essay will outline the advantages and disadvantages of working long hours.

The most significant advantage of working an extra shift, at the cost of using your leisure time, is extra monetary benefits. Long working hours is directly related to high salary, as people get paid for each hour they spend in their office. For instance, it is very usual in Pakistan that people associated with healthcare job, always do extra shifts, so that they can increase their pay checks at the end of month. It is always better for people if they get higher pay at the cost of working some extra hours.

Conversely, working for extra hours takes significant time which results in little time for leisure activities. Leisure activities are important part of life and it should not be spent at office, as it affects mental health. For example, after working for entire week, people should atleast have a day or two, to unwind their brain. If they are constantly working for long hours, they may get exhausted and it will eventually effect their mental state.

Weighing up both sides, the disadvantges are far more important to look in this situation. I strongly believe that people should strategically plan their office hours and should not overlook the time they want to enjoy activities they like, as high salary from working long hours may make them happy momentarily but bad health may be life long disadvantage.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address both sides of the question and make your position clear: the conclusion states that the disadvantages are more important. The financial benefit is relevant and supported with a healthcare-work example from Pakistan, while the discussion of leisure time links long hours to exhaustion and mental health. This meets the task well, and the clear final judgement shows some of the stronger development expected at the next level. However, the advantages receive less explanation than the disadvantages, and claims such as “higher pay at the cost of working some extra hours” are asserted rather than explored—for example, you could explain when the extra income is worth the personal cost. Develop both sides more evenly and make the comparison behind your conclusion explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the advantages and disadvantages, and a conclusion that answers the question. The progression from extra income to the personal costs of reduced leisure is easy to follow, and signposts such as “For instance,” “Conversely,” and “Weighing up both sides” help guide the reader. To make the organisation more consistently smooth, avoid formulaic transitions and connect ideas within paragraphs more precisely. For example, the opening “Although” clause is followed by a separate sentence rather than a complete contrast structure, and “it” in “it should not be spent at office” has an unclear reference. Clearer links between the evidence and your evaluation would strengthen the flow further.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary to discuss work, income, leisure, and health, including phrases such as “monetary benefits,” “unwind,” and “mental state.” These choices make the main ideas clear, and you attempt some less common expressions. However, several word-choice, collocation, and spelling problems reduce precision: “healthcare job” is awkward, “pay checks” is less natural here, and “disadvantges” is misspelled. “Effect their mental state” also uses the wrong word form for the intended meaning. Aim for more natural combinations and check spelling and word forms carefully; this would make the argument sound more fluent and precise without changing its meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a concession in the introduction and conditional language in “If they are constantly working for long hours, they may get exhausted.” Most sentences communicate the intended meaning, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “working long hours offer” has a subject–verb agreement error, while “Long working hours is directly related” has the same issue. Articles and sentence construction also need attention in “Leisure activities are important part of life” and “Although, working long hours offer several benefits.” Review agreement, article use, and punctuation around introductory clauses. Greater accuracy in these areas, alongside your existing sentence variety, would improve control.

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